Hippolytus

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Hippolytus was the Greek god of the forest. He was the equivalent of the Roman god Virbius. He always denied anyone’s love for him. He worships Artemis, god of the hunt, to the point where he did not worship other gods. He was committed to remaining chaste. This angered some of the other gods.

Hippolytus was the son of Theseus, king of Athens, and the amazon Hippolyte or Antiope. His name means loosener of horses in Greek. His father Theseus is the son of Poseidon therefore Hippolytus is the grandson of Poseidon.

“Chaste son of Theseus and the amazon Hippolyte or Antiope who had dedicated himself to Artemis. He was a good hunter and charioteer and rejected all women. He even despised Aphrodite, which made the goddess take revenge by making his stepmother Phaedra fall desperately for Hippolytus.

When refused, Phaedra comitted suicide, leaving a message behind accusing Hippolytus for trying to rape her. Theseus then had his father Poseidon punish him by sending a sea monster (other versions of the story say that he sent a wild bull) that frightened the horses that were pulling his chariot.

Hippolytus was killed, but reconciled with his father before he died, since Artemis had told Theseus the truth.

According to another version, Phaedras passion is a revenge on behalf of the Amazons. When Theseus left his Amazon wife for Phaedra, she killed herself on their wedding day.”

The basic summary of this myth is that because of the crazy love for this man and then his rejection for her love, Phaedra killed herself and took revenge by indirectly killing Hippolytus. She left a note after she died saying that Hippolytus raped her. This angered Theseus. Who told his father Poseidon to punish him by scaring his horses who dragged him to death.

Hippolytus was the most important theologian and the most prolific religious writer of the Roman Church in the pre-Constantine era. Another interesting fact was that Hippolytus was a schismatic Bishop of Rome and yet was held in high honor. Another interesting fact is he is the equivalent to the roman god of forest Virbius.